The Audio Engineering Society has published the full schedule of events for its upcoming 131st Convention, to be staged at New York’s Javits Center, Oct. 20-23. Highlights include programming tracks dedicated to Broadcast/Streaming, Education, Game Audio, Historical, Live Sound, Master Class, Paper, Platinum, Product Design and Special Events, along with Tech Tours, Tutorials and Workshops. The Preliminary Events Calendar, now available online, details all of the above.

“We have made every effort to develop the most user-friendly format,” Committee Chair Jim Anderson said. “Easy to read, drop-down abstracts are imbedded within the color-coded grid. Dates and times are clearly illustrated.

“Although there will always be the occasional, unanticipated last minute change, we invite attendees to begin to plot their daily schedules now using the PEC as their map.”

One of the most eagerly anticipated events at the show is the Platinum Mastering Panel, organized by the legendary Bob Ludwig of Gateway Mastering. This year’s event, titled “You Have Questions, We Have Answers,” will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21.

Topics include the latest trends and techniques in mastering; the state of the record industry; the de-evolution of the opportunity for learning through apprenticeship and, most importantly, questions from the audience. As a timely “extra,” the event will include a demo and discussion of Apple's new iTunes Producer program. Recently introduced to optimize the sound quality of AAC files for iTunes, this new, higher resolution (96/24 bit) paradigm shift looms as one of the most important innovations on the download horizon.